Recovery
by minicpst
Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover.
1. Prologue

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do. There is sex and language, if that offends you.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

**Prologue **

Rose looked around. She had no idea where she was. She was in some sort of building, with long windowless corridors that opened to a large room. The walls were tall, curved, and orange. There were roundels set into the wall. And a green cylinder in the center of a large, six sided console set in the middle of the room.

Feeling panicked and unsure, Rose spun in a slow circle, trying to take in everything she saw. Doors, ramp, console, bench, rail, overcoat. Overcoat? Someone else was here?

Closing her eyes, taking a few deep breaths, and then reopening them, Rose saw the same tall orange room as she had before. Nothing had changed. She had hoped she was dreaming. Her breathing was getting faster as she felt herself succumbing to the panic just under the surface.

"Rose?"

She jumped and turned toward the voice. A tall, thin man with brown hair – great hair, Rose noticed – was walking toward her, his arms out in a non threatening way. He had on white trainers, brown trousers with blue pinstripes, and a light blue shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbows. His tie was loose and his top button was undone.

"Rose? What are you doing out here? Are you ok?"

"Where am I? What is this place?" Rose didn't ask who the man was. She didn't know, but somehow it didn't seem important. She knew that he was someone she could trust.

Her questions didn't seem to surprise the man at all. In fact, he just nodded and continued to move toward her slowly.

"This is the TARDIS, Rose. You live here, with me. Do you remember me?"

"Doctor?" The title came out of nowhere, and yet Rose knew that it was correct. "I call you 'Doctor'. Though I can't remember your name. I'm sorry, just 'Doctor'."

The man, the Doctor, gave a small grin. His eyes smiled along with his mouth. "That's because that is all you know me as, Rose. Just 'the Doctor'. It's good you remember that. What else do you remember?" All while he was speaking he was moving closer, and when he had finished he had reached Rose. His arms went to her shoulders and held her at length, just watching her. Rose found she didn't mind his touch. It felt familiar, like it should happen.

She thought back. Snatches of memory were dancing in her brain. Surely, though, some of them were dreams? They seemed too far fetched to be real.

"Rose, just anything. What do you remember, even if it seems odd or unusual. It doesn't have to be in order. Don't try to make sense of it, just tell me, please."

With that encouragement Rose started speaking. "I remember my mum, and my dad. I remember the end of the world. I remember going through a market in a city with people with green skin. You were there! You were looking for new zeus plugs. Whatever those are. I remember a red bicycle when I was twelve for Christmas. I remember looking up at a ceiling in a white room. You were in that room, too. Blimey, you get around, yeah?"

The Doctor nodded and smiled slightly. "Good, Rose. Those are all memories, and from both recent and distant times. That means that it's all there in your head somewhere. We just need to figure out ways for you to access it. I can help you, if you'll let me. I promise. I can help you set this right."

_to be continued.._


	2. Chapter 1

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do. There is sex and language, if that offends you.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_With that encouragement Rose started speaking. "I remember my mum, and my dad. I remember the end of the world. I remember going through a market in a city with people with green skin. You were there! You were looking for new zeus plugs. Whatever those are. I remember a red bicycle when I was twelve for Christmas. I remember looking up at a ceiling in a white room. You were in that room, too. Blimey, you get around, yeah?"_

_The Doctor nodded and smiled slightly. "Good, Rose. Those are all memories, and from both recent and distant times. That means that it's all there in your head somewhere. We just need to figure out ways for you to access it. I can help you, if you'll let me. I promise. I can help you set this right."_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_A month earlier_

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and breathed in the warm dry air of the local marketplace. The Doctor had said that Ledonia was a peaceful planet, best known for their wide variety of fruits and vegetables that grow wild. Rose was looking forward to trying out some of the local wares, and the Doctor was looking to buy some replacement parts. He had been complaining that he had left his zeus plugs in 18th century France for so long that Rose had finally begged him to find a place to get a new set.

For a happy hour the Doctor and Rose had wandered the marketplace, sampling the fruits and trying to find a vendor who sold zeus plugs. Rose was amazed at the kindness of the people, and they were astonishing to look at. Most people in their journeys looked pretty human, but there were times when she was reminded quite vividly that not everyone around her shared similar DNA. It was easy to forget with the Doctor – other than hearing his double hearts during a hug – but here the native people were green. A rather vibrant color of green, actually. Otherwise they were shaped as she was, though with seven fingers on each hand. She and the Doctor were pale, but other visitors to the planet added to the variety of skin tones throughout the marketplace. It was fascinating.

After an hour Rose still hadn't had enough of the fruits and local produce in the marketplace, but the Doctor was impatient to find his new plugs. The people here weren't technologically advanced in any way, maybe about equal with mid 20th century at home, but they traded with many species and it was usually possible to find what you needed, if you knew what you were looking for and could describe it well. But that meant hours of talking to sellers, going from booth to booth, and digging through old alien trash. It didn't interest Rose in the least, and the Doctor was done eating fruits and looking at fabrics and clothes. So they agreed to split up and meet back at the TARDIS just before dark. The city was easy to navigate and they had not parked far, so Rose was sure she would be able to find her way back. She always thought of Captain Jack's comment, "Park somewhere you'll remember." How right he was! Though no Big Ben here to tether the TARDIS to.

Rose continued through the marketplace, picking up a new shirt for her mum, and a skirt for herself. Plus more of the wonderful fruit. She couldn't get over how many different flavors and textures there were. Fruit on Earth was abundant and different, but the flavors here made a banana and an apple seem as if they were one and the same. Not for the first time Rose wished she had transdimensional pockets so that she could fill them with a week's worth of fruit, as well as a notepad and pen so she could write down their names and not forget.

About an hour before dark Rose was finally feeling full. Actually, not just full. She paused for a moment, then thought about what was going on. A lot of fruit usually means a trip to the loo is necessary. Well, when in Rome! Rose didn't know what they had for loos here, but she thought it was probably something close to what she was used to at home. And the TARDIS would help translate for her, so hopefully there wouldn't be any embarrassing questions. After the third stall where she asked she was directed to a quiet side street where there were public facilities. Rose made note of which direction she was heading in, then went in.

A few minutes later, feeling considerably lighter, Rose came out. She wasn't feeling particularly better, though. Deciding that her day was pretty much over she set back out toward the TARDIS, feeling that right now her bed was the best place to be. She was just thinking about what the Doctor would say, caught between amusement at how much she had eaten and concern that she wasn't feeling perfect, when she doubled over and fell to the ground. She gasped at the suddenness and severity of the pain. It was worse than anything she'd ever felt before.

She was aware that there were people rushing toward her, asking her questions, but she couldn't focus on them. The pain built up until it was simply more than she could bear. She cried out, and cried tears. She felt hands on her, lifting her. People surrounded her and carried her through the marketplace.

"Doctor!" she sobbed. Her vision was tunneling.

"Yes, yes, you need a doctor, we will take you!" someone in the crowd around her was speaking, but the pain was too much for her to figure out who. As the blackness closed in completely around her she wished for her Doctor.

_to be continued..._


	3. Chapter 2

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_She was aware that there were people rushing toward her, asking her questions, but she couldn't focus on them. The pain built up until it was simply more than she could bear. She cried out, and cried tears. She felt hands on her, lifting her. People surrounded her and carried her through the marketplace._

"_Doctor!" she sobbed. Her vision was tunneling. _

"_Yes, yes, you need a doctor, we will take you!" someone in the crowd around her was speaking, but the pain was too much for her to figure out who. As the blackness closed in completely around her she wished for her Doctor._

**Chapter 2**

The Doctor had been successful looking for his new zeus plugs. He had found them just before dark, hours after he had left Rose's side. He figured he had a spare half hour of light after he'd get back to the TARDIS. Rose should be there, or will be meeting him soon. He smiled at that. They were good mates, she and him, and he enjoyed her company. For a stupid little ape she wasn't half bad.

He put his key into the TARDIS and let himself in. "Rose?" He called out for her, but wasn't too surprised when he didn't hear anything. Just to be on the safe side, since the ship was quite large, he wandered down to her room. Often after an excursion Rose liked to take a bath or shower. She said she didn't like to bring the alien planets they visited to bed with her. But her room and ensuite were empty. So the Doctor went to the kitchen. She wasn't there either. Nor was any fruit from the marketplace. With a shrug the Doctor went back to the console room to await his friend. He had new zeus plugs to play with, after all. He'd find something to do to wait the half hour or so until Rose got back. He wasn't unused to traveling alone, though he preferred company most of the time.

Forty five minutes later the Doctor was getting worried. He'd stuck his head out of the door and had seen how dark it was. It wasn't like Rose to not return. Not unless something was wrong. But this was a peaceful planet. They had been out there together for several hours this morning without an indication that they were in any way threatened. So the Doctor had felt confident that Rose would be safe without him. So where was she?

An hour after he returned the Doctor donned his brown overcoat again and went back out. The vendors were starting to pack up. He nodded at several as he walked by. Everything was peaceful, just as he would have thought it would be. Several times he called out Rose's name, but he got no answer. For the first time he wished he had a mobile phone of his own. Then he could simply call Rose and see where she was. Maybe the next time they went to Earth he'd pick one up.

"Sir?" The Doctor turned. It was one of the vendors where he and Rose had stopped earlier. They had stayed for several minutes, trying out the fruit and chatting.

"Sir, you were here with your friend earlier, yes?"

"Yes, I was! Have you seen her? She hasn't returned yet and I was starting to get concerned. She has a tendency to wander off, and she's rather jeopardy friendly."

"She's been taken to hospital, Sir. I'm sorry. She collapsed in the street, here in front of my stall. Several of the others took her up to hospital so she could be seen by a healer. I can take you there now to see her, if you'd like."

The Doctor practically ran to the woman's side, and without speaking they quickly made their way to the local hospital. The Doctor's skin had been nearly crawling with worry the entire way there, wanting to sprint faster than his guide, but as the Doctor didn't know the way, and the vendor was older and out of shape, he could only go as fast as she. The entire while he peppered her with questions about Rose.

"What happened? What did you see?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, I don't know what it was. She was in the street, heading in the direction that you just came from. She just grabbed her stomach and fell over. She seemed to be in a lot of pain."

"Was she pale, sweating, anything like that? Was she bleeding at all?"

"I didn't see any blood, Sir, and you and she always look pale to us, with your light skin. I'm sorry, I didn't notice if she was any paler than what you would consider normal."

"Did she say anything?"

"Just that she wanted a doctor. She didn't say anything more. Just 'doctor.'"

Guilt washed over the Doctor. He had brought Rose here, she had gotten sick, and the one thing she wanted was him. And he was out buying spare parts and chatting with the locals. How could he have left her? A twenty year old human on a strange planet without a guide; without him.

After ten minutes brisk walk the vendor stopped outside of the gates of the local hospital.

"Here, Sir. She was brought here. Our healers do not know her species, but she should be easy to find with her pale skin and hair. Good luck, Sir. I hope she is all right!" And with that the woman shuffled back toward her stall at a much more benign pace, clearly having spent all of her energy getting them there quickly. The Doctor was grateful, but he had no time to spare. Rose was in danger and in a hospital full of people who didn't know what to do with her.

_to be continued..._


	4. Chapter 3

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_Guilt washed over the Doctor. He had brought Rose here, she had gotten sick, and the one thing she wanted was him. And he was out buying spare parts and chatting with the locals. How could he have left her? A twenty year old human on a strange planet without a guide; without him. _

_After ten minutes brisk walk the vendor stopped outside of the gates of the local hospital. _

"_Here, Sir. She was brought here. Our healers do not know her species, but she should be easy to find with her pale skin and hair. Good luck, Sir. I hope she is all right!" And with that the woman shuffled back toward her stall at a much more benign pace, clearly having spent all of her energy getting them there quickly. The Doctor was grateful, but he had no time to spare. Rose was in danger and in a hospital full of people who didn't know what to do with her. _

**Chapter 3**

The Doctor rushed through the main doorway and straight to the desk.

"I'm looking for my friend. She was brought in a couple of hours ago. She's pale, like me, but with yellow hair. Some vendors brought her in from the marketplace."

"Of course, Sir. If you'll follow me please. The healers will be happy to see you. They've been most confused about her physiology and anatomy and if you can help shed some light on that they'd be grateful."

That was the Doctor's worst fear. That they would have tried to heal her like a Ledonian and it would end up killing her. But it didn't sound like it had come to that, at least not as far as the receptionist knew.

The green skinned woman led the Doctor to a quiet ward on the third floor. There the Doctor could see blue robed people standing around a single bed. He couldn't see who was in it from the doorway, but he was guessing it was his Rose. He strode up to the bed and straight through the group of people. Sure enough, there was Rose. He quickly assessed her from where he was standing. She had a tube up her nose and an IV in her cheek. Her wrists and hands were swollen, and it seemed her feet and ankles were as well.

He turned to the people in blue robes. "Who is in charge here with this woman?" He tried not to lose his temper -- they had never seen a human before -- but it was hard when it was Rose who was sick.

A woman came up and stood in front of him, clearly not intimidated by his tone or his height. "I am, Sir," she said, looking up at him with a combination of anger, concern, and relief on her face. "I am assuming that you are friends with this woman? My name is Matron Sats, I am head healer in this hospital. We have done what we know for your friend, but she has not improved. We are not familiar with her species, though. Maybe you know more about her...?"

The Doctor was only half listening. He had pulled out his stethoscope from his pocket and was listening to Rose's lungs and heart. Her chest was barely rising, and he could hear popping in her lungs with what breathing she was doing. Her heart was racing, he could barely count the beats from one to the next. He could feel heat radiating off of her body, and she was paler than he had ever seen her. He had no idea what had caused any of it, though.

"What happened?" he demanded of the staff as he propped Rose up on pillows to ease her breathing. "Why was she brought in, and what have you done in your attempt to treat her?"

Matron Sats placed her hand on Rose's. "Poor girl. She was brought in by some people from the marketplace. Apparently she had collapsed. She had stopped at many of their stalls and had sampled some of the fruits they sold. For whatever reason something must not have worked with her body. When she arrived we tried to slow the reaction with acaphin, and when that didn't work we tried giving her colatite and phargo to increase her fluid production and her heartrate. We also gave her lankierip for her obvious pain. When her breathing became shallow we inserted a nasal tube as best as we could, and when we saw no fluids being excreted we inserted a line into her cheek to provide more to her vascular system."

For a Ledonian they had followed protocol to a T. For Rose, though, they were killing her. The Ledonians, when they had ingested something they could not handle, from an allergy to a poison, could simply excrete it through their skin with enough fluid. Their heartrates increased to help pump it out. And their respiratory system was much closer to that of a fish than a human's, with the air being passed over an organ at the back of the nose and then breathed out of the mouth, much like water passing over gills. So they had done what they could. Unfortunately, Rose's body didn't work that way. The extra fluid was filling her lungs and was causing her to swell. Her heart was going to give out soon, and the nasal tube was doing nothing other than blowing air up her nose. The IV in her cheek wasn't harming her, but it wasn't helping in the least.

The Doctor nodded. Then he got to work. "Matron Sats, Rose is what is called a human. They don't work like Ledonians. Her body can't flush out toxins like yours can. It'll simply fill with water. And her respiratory system is in her chest, not her head. We need to disconnect the medications you've given her and help her body regulate itself. Have you got anything like frusemide on hand? Something to get rid of the water. A diuretic? Also, we need to slow her heartrate down. You've given her four medications already, yes? Plus the diuretic? I'm wary to introduce another one, since we don't know how they'll act in her body. Have you got a machine that can shock her heart? Good. Bring that over, we'll use that." As he spoke his fingers were working, disconnecting the tubes from Rose, putting an oxygen mask on her face, taking out the IV and reinserting it into a vein in her arm. A nurse hurried over with the diuretic.

"Good, good. Now, do you have a catheter? We need to help her get the water out of her as quickly as possible. Also, where's that shock cart?" More nurses were rushing over toward them. One pushed over the cart and the other held out the catheter to the Doctor. He thought briefly about what Rose would say if she found out what he was about to do, but knowing Ledonian physiology he also knew she would be grateful that he didn't allow them to do it. Very quickly the Doctor did what needed to be done, and nearly immediately he was rewarded with a liter of fluid. Rose's stomach visibly sank.

"Brilliant! So far so good. Now, let's take another listen..." He leaned over his friend's chest and listened with his stethoscope again at her heart and lungs. The fluid in her lungs had not progressed any further, though it had not yet disappeared. Her heart was still racing at over 200 beats a minute, though, by the Doctor's best estimate. He pulled the cart over, set it to 300 joules, and pushed Rose's hospital gown to the sides. He looked at the green skinned group around him, took a deep breath, and yelled, "Clear!" as he pressed the paddles to Rose's chest. She gave a small jump and he put the paddles back and listened again. She was still tachycardic. He grabbed the paddles again and repeated the procedure. "Clear!" After the third shock a moment later he listened and was rewarded with the sound of Rose's heart being at a much more normal 80 beats per minute. He smiled, then closed her gown over her chest.

"Her heart is going back to normal. And her lungs are already starting to empty of fluid." The bag at the end of the catheter had already been replaced with an empty bag, and it was nearly full again.

Now that her vitals were stable again, the Doctor wondered why she had not regained consciousness. And why her skin was so warm. He turned back to Matron Sats.

"Did you sedate Rose, or do any of the medications you gave her have a sedating property? Also, have you checked her for infection?"

"She was unconscious when she was brought in, though the people carrying her say that she was conscious for a few moments on their way here. They said she asked for a doctor and that was all. She mumbled a bit, but she's been silent for us. We haven't needed to give her any sedation at all. As for an infection, how do you propose we do that?"

So they hadn't yet discovered the germ theory, or the reaction from the body to an invader. Then he remembered. They didn't have an immune system like that of a human. Their answer was to secrete it, not fight it. So the fever would have been marked as unimportant.

"Matron Sats, I appreciate all that you have done for Rose. But she would be better cared for with me, in my infirmary. I know her species and I have the training to take care of her. With your permission, and honestly even without it, I'm going to take Rose with me and finish her treatment myself. Could you please help arrange transport for us?"

Matron Sats' eyebrows had gone up during the Doctor's little speech, but she simply nodded when he finished and went off to make the necessary arrangements. The Doctor tucked Rose's clothes and purchases into his large pockets, then he got her ready to be moved. Her breathing had improved so that she could go without the oxygen for a time, but her body was still putting out a phenomenal amount of fluid, so the catheter had to stay.

The preparations done the Doctor sat on Rose's bed at her hip and brushed her sweaty hair off of her face.

"Oh Rose. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll get you better, I promise. I can fix you."

_to be continued..._


	5. Chapter 4

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

"_Matron Sats, I appreciate all that you have done for Rose. But she would be better cared for with me, in my infirmary. I know her species and I have the training to take care of her. With your permission, and honestly even without it, I'm going to take Rose with me and finish her treatment myself. Could you please help arrange transport for us?"_

_Matron Sats' eyebrows had gone up during the Doctor's little speech, but she simply nodded when he finished and went off to make the necessary arrangements. The Doctor tucked Rose's clothes and purchases into his large pockets, then he got her ready to be moved. Her breathing had improved so that she could go without the oxygen for a time, but her body was still putting out a phenomenal amount of fluid, so the catheter had to stay. _

_The preparations done the Doctor sat on Rose's bed at her hip and brushed her sweaty hair off of her face. _

"_Oh Rose. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll get you better, I promise. I can fix you."_

**Chapter 4**

Matron Sats had arranged for an ambulance to take them back to the TARDIS. It wasn't fast, but it was faster than the Doctor could walk carrying Rose the entire way.

When they arrived back at the TARDIS the Doctor gently lifted Rose out of the back of the ambulance. The driver said nothing, but his eyebrows questioned exactly what the Doctor was doing. Without wanting to be impolite, the Doctor simply gave his thanks and let himself into the ship. Quickly he carried Rose to the infirmary and placed her on a couch. He reconnected an oxygen mask for her and put on a new catheter bag.

With Rose settled as well as she could be he took off his overcoat and suit jacket and got to work trying to figure out what was going on. Rose's body temperature was 104, she had an infection somewhere. But from what he didn't know. He took a sample of blood and got the computer started running tests on it. Then he ran his sonic screwdriver over her form. Her heart was still beating at an acceptable rate, and the fluid on her body was disappearing. Luckily she was young and healthy. Any other way and her heart would have given out.

The computer beeped, letting him know the results were back on her blood. He went to the monitor and looked at the Gallifreyan script on the screen. Rose had suffered an allergic reaction to one of the fruits she had eaten. The Doctor didn't know which, and as of this moment it wasn't the most important thing to deal with. That had caused her pain and collapse in the market. However, the infection was due to the combination of drugs she was given at hospital. The acaphin, colatite, and phargo they had given her initially had nearly immediately wiped out her immune system. She caught the first thing that came along. In this case a mild case of a Ledonian cold. But with no immune system in place it was running rampant in her body. Then to add to the problem, the lankierip they gave her for pain was preventing the production of new white blood cells.

The Doctor quickly synthesized the necessary antibiotics to get started on the infection. He added that to her IV and watched as it entered her body. It would take an hour or so to start to see any reaction in her body. This had to start from scratch. There was no immune system to have started the job already.

Next he got to work synthesizing a whole blood transfusion. He had Rose's blood scanned into the computer already, thanks to her being so jeopardy friendly, so it was fairly easy to replicate her exact blood as it should be. This would help jump start her immune system, as well as add back red blood cells. Her system was so diluted now that her body had to work extra hard for any oxygen it was moving around, even though her heart was beating fine and her lungs were emptying out. He also gave her a medication that would increase her blood production in the marrow.

With those two additional bags added to her IV stand he started a second line in her other arm and got them started.

He stood back now and scanned Rose again. Her fever had not risen anymore, and it was slowly coming down. She was at 103.6 at the moment. The antibiotics he had started before the blood transfusion were working, and the infection was being fought. The Doctor listened to her chest again. Her lungs were empty of fluid, and her body was slowly deflating from the rest of the water as well. Her heart was beating strongly and steadily. It seemed she was out of the woods. It'd been six hours since she'd collapsed in the marketplace.

Now that he had the time he set out to do a more detailed scan. He wanted to make sure he didn't miss anything, as well as find out which fruit had caused this in the first place. He knew Rose had been enjoying the fruits of the planet, and hopefully he could find out which one it was so that way she could go back to enjoying the others.

The Doctor got the computer set up to do a full head to toe scan. He knew it would take about an hour to do, so while it was working he whipped up a concoction of vitamins and minerals to help aid Rose's healing, and keep her body in perfect balance, nutritionally speaking. He added that to her IV as well.

As he waited for the detailed scan to finish he sat by Rose's side and wiped her brow with a flannel. He was still concerned about her lack of responsiveness to any of his treatments. He knew he could go into her mind and see what was going on, but he hated to do it without permission. It was only about seven hours since she passed out. She'd been through quite a bit. It's possible she needed more time to come out of it. The Doctor thought he'd give her another hour before he went in to see what was going on.

Just then the computer beeped with the results of the detailed scan. As he looked them over the Doctor frowned. He rubbed his hands over his face and set the computer to do the scan again. As it got started for the second time he went over to Rose and placed his hands on her temples.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it absolutely necessary." And with that he delved into her brain.

Nearly immediately he let go and staggered back. He had never been deep within Rose's thoughts before, but he'd touched the surface many times. As a Time Lord it was nearly impossible not to do through any skin to skin contact. And this surface didn't feel like Rose. He couldn't find his way in deeper. Everything was jumbled and fluid. Not at all like a normal brain; Time Lord or human. Humans may consciously only use ten percent of their brain, but all of it was working, and it worked in order. Rose's brain was not. She was in some sort of coma. He had been hoping the results from the scan were wrong, since he'd never seen anything like that before, but they were accurate.

The infection that had stormed through Rose's body had settled in her brain. It had done so much damage that Rose was in a coma and it was possible she'd never come out of it. Even if she did, Rose herself, the wonderful stupid little ape who had had so many adventures by his side may be permanently damaged beyond repair.

_to be continued..._


	6. Chapter 5

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_The infection that had stormed through Rose's body had settled in her brain. It had done so much damage that Rose was in a coma and it was possible she'd never come out of it. Even if she did, Rose herself, the wonderful stupid little ape who had had so many adventures by his side may be permanently damaged beyond repair. _

**Chapter 5**

As the Doctor watched the medications drip slowly into his beloved companion with one eye he kept the other eye glued to her face, hoping to see some sort of reaction, some sign that she was coming out of the coma. He could use his psychic abilities later to help her sort out her memories and get everything back in line, but her brain was such a jumble at the moment that there was nothing he could do but wait and keep her body healthy. He knew it could be hours, even days or weeks before she woke.

He set the computer to alert him if there was any change, then he quickly stole out to the console room. He got them into the vortex and just set the TARDIS to stay there. It was safe and he was one jump away from anywhere he might need to get to.

Next he took a quick trip to the kitchen. Rose might be fed at the moment through a tube in her arm, but he still needed to eat. He packed up some tinned goods and some bananas and put them in his pockets to take back to the infirmary. A quick stop off at the loo to take care of business and wash his face and he was back at Rose's side.

He wasn't surprised at all to see that nothing had changed. He slipped his long fingers to her temples again and was met with the same disarray as before.

With a sigh he did the only thing he could do. He checked her over to make sure everything else was going as it should. Her breathing was still fine, her heart was still fine. He hung another bag of antibiotics, and checked her bone marrow for red and white blood cell production. They were going well, but he added another bag of whole blood to be transfused anyway. He checked Rose's nutrition level, then changed out her catheter bag.

And that's how it went for the next day. The Doctor would check on Rose's psyche, then take care of what her body needed. After 24 hours she no longer needed the whole blood, though he kept the antibiotics in her IV. Her body had flushed out all of the extra fluid, but without Rose conscious he couldn't remove the catheter.

After the second day the Doctor was very concerned, but there was nothing he could do. He paced the white infirmary for hours at a time, breaking only to take care of Rose. It was impossible for him to tell if her brain was healing at all. It was such a mess that when he checked he couldn't tell if it was the same mess or a new mess.

By the third day the Doctor had taken to starting some basic physical therapy with Rose. Her muscles hadn't begun to atrophy at all, and he wanted to keep it that way. So he worked Rose's arms and legs twice a day to keep them moving. He turned her body so she wouldn't get sores. He massaged her arms and legs and back. Partly to keep the muscles moving, and partly just to have physical contact with her. He knew that people often healed better and faster if they were allowed contact. He also felt that it was keeping him from losing part of himself if he could feel her warmth under his cool skin.

After five days even the Doctor couldn't keep up the round the clock care without a break. He was sorely in need of a sleep cycle. Without knowing what else to do he took off his tie and shoes, rolled up his sleeves, and carried Rose over to one of the larger beds in the infirmary. He crawled in next to her and wrapped his arms around her. For the first time in over a week the Time Lord slept.

_to be continued..._


	7. Chapter 6

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_After five days even the Doctor couldn't keep up the round the clock care without a break. He was sorely in need of a sleep cycle. Without knowing what else to do he took off his tie and shoes, rolled up his sleeves, and carried Rose over to one of the larger beds in the infirmary. He crawled in next to her and wrapped his arms around her. For the first time in over a week the Time Lord slept._

**Chapter 6**

When the Doctor woke six hours later the first thing he saw were Rose's eyes, staring at him. He slowly blinked and smiled, then sat up with a jerk when he realized the implication.

"Rose! Rose, are you awake? Say something!"

But Rose said nothing. She blinked slowly at him, then closed her eyes again.

For a moment the Doctor thought he must have imagined everything, but a look at the scanners showed that there had been a change in her brain patterns. Tentatively he put his fingers to her temples for the first time in over twelve hours.

He was expecting the usual onslaught, but instead he found something much more akin to minor chaos. Much improved from the major chaos that had been going on, but still nowhere near to a functioning level that he could work with. But it was an improvement, albeit a small one.

With that to buoy his hopes he jogged off to his ensuite for a quick shower and a change of suit. He knew the computer would let him know if there was any change at all in Rose's condition, so he also went by the kitchen to pick up more food. He checked on the TARDIS' controls, then went back to the infirmary.

There he bathed Rose and changed her gown. Her moved her IV to a new location so she didn't develop another infection and put in a new catheter tube for the same reason. He checked over her vital signs, but they had been stable for several days now. It had been a small relief. Her body was healing itself. The only question now was would her mind heal.

Two days after Rose opened her eyes she did it again. This time the Doctor had been watching her. He'd taken to reading Gallifreyan books to her while he sat next to her. So when she opened her eyes he saw the movement and stopped reading. He looked at her.

"Rose? Do you hear me, Rose?"

Rose had been staring at the ceiling, but at his voice saying her name her head turned toward him. It was the first voluntary movement she had made in nine days. She didn't say anything, and other than turning her head she didn't indicate at all that she had heard him, but her eyes were still open and watching him.

The Doctor got out his ophthalmoscope, and with slow and gentle movements he moved toward Rose's head.

"Rose, if you can hear me, I'm just going to look in your eyes. I'm not going to hurt you. Just please keep your eyes open for me."

With that he shone the mild light in her eyes and watched them react. They were moving normally, a good sign that at least parts of her brain were returning to their previous state.

"Rose, I want you to use your eyes to follow my finger, ok? Just watch it without moving your head."

He was less hopeful that she would be able to follow the simple command, and as it turned out he was right to feel that way. She continued to stare at where he had been sitting moments before.

Touching his fingers to her temples the Doctor attempted the first psychic contact of the day. Her mind was still in chaos, but there was a small pathway through it now. It wasn't easy, but he was able to push further into her mind than he had been before. He could touch some memories, but more importantly he was able to feel her emotions.

And what he felt was encouraging. Rose was confused and scared. He didn't wish her to feel like that, but it represented the knowledge that things weren't right. If she was so brain damaged that she couldn't figure out that there was a problem her recovery would have been shorter but much less successful. Right now, though, Rose's brain knew that something wasn't right. It didn't know what to do about it, but it at least knew there was a problem.

Pushing a little of his own optimism and calmness into her mind, he retreated from Rose's brain. Her eyes had closed again, and he simply rubbed his hands alongside her head. Since he was standing he got started on her physical therapy for the morning. He turned her head both directions, manipulated her arms and legs, and then rolled her onto her belly. He rubbed her back and brushed her hair. When that was done he checked her IV and catheter again, then settled back down with his book. He began to read again.

_to be continued..._


	8. Chapter 7

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_Touching his fingers to her temples the Doctor attempted the first psychic contact of the day. Her mind was still in chaos, but there was a small pathway through it now. It wasn't easy, but he was able to push further into her mind than he had been before. He could touch some memories, but more importantly he was able to feel her emotions. _

_And what he felt was encouraging. Rose was confused and scared. He didn't wish her to feel like that, but it represented the knowledge that things weren't right. If she was so brain damaged that she couldn't figure out that there was a problem her recovery would have been shorter but much less successful. Right now, though, Rose's brain knew that something wasn't right. It didn't know what to do about it, but it at least knew there was a problem._

_Pushing a little of his own optimism and calmness into her mind, he retreated from Rose's brain. Her eyes had closed again, and he simply rubbed his hands alongside her head. Since he was standing he got started on her physical therapy for the morning. He turned her head both directions, manipulated her arms and legs, and then rolled her onto her belly. He rubbed her back and brushed her hair. When that was done he checked her IV and catheter again, then settled back down with his book. He began to read again._

**Chapter 7**

Three days later Rose had opened her eyes twice more, but she had still failed to react to him. Her brain stayed in the same state. Confused and scared and chaotic, but each time he felt that the pathway through to her was easier to travel and went deeper.

Two weeks after falling into the coma Rose started to come out of it. It was a slow process, but she would wake for a few minutes at a time. She was honestly awake. She would follow his fingers and she could answer simple questions. She fought him when it was time to change her IV and catheter, and she let it known that she enjoyed him brushing her hair. All of these were good signs, the Doctor thought. They were all things Rose would do. She had never said that she liked having her hair brushed, but the Doctor had watched her brushing her hair a few times and had noted the peaceful look she got on her face as the bristles passed through her blond strands.

However, on the fifteenth day Rose showed how dangerous and unknown this sort of recovery could be. Rather than just pushing at the Doctor as he moved her catheter and bag she kicked at him, knocking him down. She pulled out her catheter, then gasped with pain as she realized what she had done. Not letting that stop her, though, she pulled out her IV, then pulled down the bags from the stand, spraying her nutritional supplement all over herself and the infirmary. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and jumped up.

However, even though the Doctor had started physical therapy with her right away she still hadn't stood or walked in over two weeks. After going just one step Rose pitched forward into the table. She landed against it with a crack, then sprawled out on the floor crying.

All of this had happened so quickly even the Doctor hadn't had time to react. He untangled himself from underneath the tubes and bags that had been thrown toward him and made his way to Rose's side. He enveloped her in his arms and sat her up, just holding her and rocking her as she cried.

"Shhh, it's ok Rose. It's ok. I know you're scared and confused. Everything will be all right. I promise you. I promised you that a long time ago. I promised your mother. If you're broken, Rose Tyler, I can fix you."

Rose sobbed into his shirt. And for the first time since her incident on Ledonia, she spoke.

"My arm. My arm hurts."

The Doctor was shocked into immobility and silence. If Rose had been herself she would have stared with a gaping mouth at him. This didn't happen often. A tear escaped the Doctor's eye. Rose had spoken to him. He didn't know if he would ever hear her voice again, but there it was.

And there it was. It finally registered to him what she was saying.

"Oh, Rose! I'm so sorry!" He quickly stood, cradling her small body in his arms easily. He carried her over to another clean couch and set her on it. Without removing a hand from her upper arm, just in case she tried to jump up again, he reached across to his sonic screwdriver. He scanned it over her arm, frowned, then scanned her entire body.

"Rose, you broke your ulna when you hit the table. I'm so sorry, I should have caught you! I can fix it, though, as promised. Give me just a few minutes and I'll get my skeletor regenerator up and running and you'll never know anything had happened. Can you lay back on the couch for me, though, please?"

To his immense surprise and pleasure Rose obeyed his simple request, and he quickly grabbed the appropriate tool. He placed it over the break, and applying gentle traction let it do its job. Within five minutes the bone was as good as new. He removed the regenerator and placed it back on the table.

"Rose, all better now. Can you look at me, please?"

Again he thrilled when she turned to face him. Small steps, he told himself.

"Rose, do you know who I am?"

Rose shook her head slightly, then closed her eyes. As she dropped back into slumber the Doctor placed his hands aside her head. The chaos was lessening, he was certain of it. He watched, fascinated, as images danced in front of him. Rose was remembering, though it wasn't making its way to her conscious mind at all. He saw his face several times, as well as the face of someone in a 20th century medical outfit. He saw her mum's face flash by. She was thinking of the times she'd been hurt and sick, and who she went to for help. Her mom, her family doctor, and now of course, him. Her brain was putting memories together in groups. A fantastic sign, even if it wasn't something her conscious mind could pick up on yet.

With Rose asleep once more the Doctor went to his cabinet and got out new IV and catheter supplies. He didn't dare wonder how many more days he would have to use them. Such thinking was not at all productive. Rose was how she was now. She was better than yesterday. He just kept having to remind himself of that. Even if she never got back to perfect she was better than she was yesterday.

At that thought, though, his hearts clenched. What if she never did get back? Before he could stop himself he imagined Rose permanently disabled. Bringing her back to Jackie, explaining what had happened. It was all so stupid, really. She'd had an allergic reaction, that was all. But because of where they were the treatment had caused much more damage than the allergy ever would have. Because of him. If she'd been on Earth she would have had a painful afternoon and that would have been it. But now she had been in a coma for over two weeks, she'd just broken her arm, and she had brain damage to an unknown degree.

No! He wouldn't think like this. He promised her, he promised her mother. If he couldn't fix her he would find someone somewhere and somewhen who could. He had despised everything that the Sisters of Plentitude had done in the year 5,000,000,023, but he could see now why people would so eagerly turn to them. If they could cure anything, what hope they must have brought!

Course, that was for disease. Rose was cured of disease. The only battle she was fighting now was one within her own mind. And the Doctor was more than qualified to help her. He just had to wait for her to be ready to accept his help.

Until then he would continue as he was doing. Taking care of her body and helping her mind in whatever ways he could.

Rose slept for the rest of the day after her excitement of the morning. Late that night, though, just as the Doctor was thinking about another sleep cycle, her eyes opened.

"Rose?"

"Hmmm?"

"Rose, are you awake?"

"Guess so. I need to pee."

"Go ahead, Rose, you have a catheter in."

"No, I need to get up, go to the bathroom." With that statement she started to push herself up off the couch. Fearing a repeat of that morning's performance the Doctor quickly was at Rose's side, helping her up.

"Rose, you have a catheter in. If you would like to use the bathroom you need to let me take it out slowly so you don't hurt yourself. Do you remember taking out the catheter this morning? It hurt when you did."

Rose shook her head. She looked around, as if for the first time.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary, on the TARDIS."

"Is that in London, then?"

"No, Rose. Not in London. We're ... a bit out of town right now."

Rose seemed to accept that, then she swung her legs over the bed, obviously about to stand up. Luckily for the Doctor her leg tangled in the catheter.

"What's this?"

"That's the catheter, Rose. Let me take it out and I'll help you to the bathroom."

"I don't need your help! I've been going to the bathroom since I was two, thankyouverymuch! I can do it myself!!"

The Doctor was taken back by her sudden angry outburst, but he wasn't very surprised. Often with brain damage people reverted to a more childlike state. They would get angry quickly and over minor things, stumble over tasks a teenager would find commonplace, but they would also love and trust like a child.

Without a word the Doctor leaned in to remove the catheter from Rose. He heard her suck in her breath as he got close, but she did not push him away or make another sound. Somewhere in there, he mused, she knew to trust him.

When that was done he held out his hand and let Rose take it herself. She eased off of the couch, and the Doctor took her other hand to help her stabilize on her feet. When she had done that she started walking, slowly, toward the door out of the infirmary. The Doctor simply held her hand, just in case she needed his help. He led her out of the door and down the hallway to the bathroom. As he opened the door and she walked in she did not let go of his hand. As she was readying to sit down he extracted his appendage, then turned and walked back to the door.

"I'll be just outside if you need me."

Rose simply nodded at him, and without waiting for him to leave started pulling up her gown. The Doctor quickly turned and walked out of the door, leaving it open. It was nothing he hadn't seen before, but he knew that Rose was a very private person, and whatever dignity he could give her he would.

When he heard her standing up he re-entered. He smiled at her, looking at her upright and standing on her own. He reached out and flushed the toilet, then took her hand.

"Are you hungry, Rose?"

She nodded, and so he led her toward the kitchen.

"This is a funny place you've got here, Mister."

"Doctor, Rose. I'm called the Doctor."

"That's a funny name. 'The Doctor'." Is that what your mum called you?"

"It's the name I chose for myself. I think it suits me. You think it suits me too, most of the time."

"Do I? Do I know you?"

"Very well. Possibly better than anyone else. I think you know that, Rose. Because deep down, you trust me. You may not remember my name, but you trust me. Just think about what you've done in the past few minutes."

He looked at Rose. She seemed to be thinking about what he had said.

"I do. I trust you, Doctor. I always have."

With that statement they entered the kitchen.

_to be continued..._


	9. Chapter 8

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

"_Do I? Do I know you?"_

"_Very well. Possibly better than anyone else. I think you know that, Rose. Because deep down, you trust me. You may not remember my name, but you trust me. Just think about what you've done in the past few minutes."_

_He looked at Rose. She seemed to be thinking about what he had said. _

"_I do. I trust you, Doctor. I always have."_

_With that statement they entered the kitchen._

**Chapter 8**

After a meal of soup and soft bread the Doctor led Rose back to the infirmary. It was obvious that her excursion out had taken its toll, but the Doctor hoped that Rose wouldn't fall back to sleep as soon as they got back. He wanted to have psychic contact with her while she was awake. He hoped that healing her mind may be easier if she was able to take part in it.

When they got back the Doctor grasped Rose about the waist and helped her back up onto the couch. She didn't go to lean back right away, which he took to be a good sign, but her eyes were showing her exhaustion.

"Rose, before you go back to sleep, I'd like to help you if I may. I know you're confused and a little scared. This won't hurt at all. I just want to touch your face with my hands. It'll help, I hope. May I, please?"

The Doctor could see the emotions running through Rose's tired face. Apprehension, fear, but trust was there too. And in the end, as he hoped it would, the trust won out. She nodded.

"Good. You won't feel a thing physically, though you'll feel me in your head soon enough. Let me know if you're uncomfortable and I'll stop. Ok?"

She nodded again and he placed his fingers on her face. He battled through the now common disarray before finding the path deeper into her mind. And as expected, it went further today than it had before. He moved quickly down it, pausing briefly to see what memories and emotions were at the forefront of today's onslaught. He wasn't surprised by any of them. Jackie's face, her room at her flat at home, her room on the TARDIS, his face, her family doctor's face, they were all there. He could feel now, nearly tangibly, her apprehension. He made sure it didn't affect him and he pushed on. Now solidly connected with her conscious mind he started to forge bridges for her to be able to follow.

Unfortunately it wasn't long before Rose wasn't able to stay awake any longer. The Doctor gasped as the connection he had had was broken. It felt like several of his bridges that he had made collapsed, but some stayed. He opened his eyes to find Rose asleep in his hands. He lowered her head to her pillow, then raised her legs up to the couch. He reinserted the catheter and reconnected her IV. He didn't know how long she would sleep now. She may sleep again for days, or she may awaken after a few hours, but better to have the IV and catheter in and remove them later. At least for now.

With his work for her done for the day the Doctor crawled into bed next to Rose and wrapped her carefully in his arms. He slept soundly for many hours, Rose peacefully at his side.

All that changed about seven hours later, though. Rose jerked awake suddenly, bringing the Doctor with her.

"I've got to get up! I'm late! Why didn't you wake me! I've told you before, if I'm late for work again the shop'll fire me. I can't afford to be out of a job, even if I am still living with my mum. C'mon, Mick! Wake up!"

Rose jumped out of bed and tripped over her wiring. Luckily this time she didn't hurt herself, and the Doctor was able to get a hand on her arm to keep her mostly upright.

"Rose, it's me, the Doctor. Mickey isn't here, you're not late. You can stay awake or come back to bed, it's your choice."

Rose looked at him in utter confusion. It was obvious she was expecting someone else. For a moment his hearts felt a pang of misplaced jealousy. Rose had never looked at him _like that_. She had looked at Mickey like that, back when the Doctor had first met her. But he had never expected or wanted her to look at him like that, at least not until now. He still didn't, he knew better than to get involved with his companions, but it hurt a little that Rose looked like she had never considered it. He knew that this wasn't the true her, but it still hurt to be looked at like a nobody by the person who was currently the most important person in your life.

Rose must not have really understood. She continued to make her way out of bed, as if the Doctor had never spoken.

"I have to go, I have to get ready. Sorry to bother you." Without thinking she pulled out her IV and catheter again, gave a gasp at the latter, then started stumbling out toward the door.

The Doctor followed to see where she would go and what she would do. The TARDIS was safe for her. She would help take care of Rose as best she could, and there was no worry about Rose wandering off or disappearing. So he just let her walk.

He wasn't surprised to see that her first stop was the loo again. He was pleased she remembered it. It showed that new memories were being laid down and she was able to recall them. Before last night he didn't think she'd ever walked from the infirmary to this bathroom, so that was definitely a good sign.

Her second stop was to the kitchen. Again, not a big surprise. She was retracing their steps from the night before. Rose grabbed a banana, then wandered back out, barely glancing at the Doctor as she passed him.

Rose's steps after the kitchen seemed less confident. She wandered for a while down the corridor that lead to the library, then changed directions and headed toward her room. She stopped after a while, though, and just started to open doors at random. She found the theater, then plopped down on a chair and tried to bite into the banana. Without unpeeling it.

At that point the Doctor stepped in. Without speaking he took the banana from Rose and peeled it, then handed it back.

"Ta."

He simply nodded. He sat down next to Rose while she ate the banana. When she was finished she looked at him.

"You said you can help me?"

He nodded again. Apparently whatever bridge he had built last night helped retain some of her memories. She was able to access them.

"It'll take some time, Rose. But yes, I can help you."

With that he stood up and offered her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then took it.

_To be continued..._


	10. Chapter 9

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

* * *

_**Previously:**_

"_You said you can help me?"_

_He nodded again. Apparently whatever bridge he had built last night helped retain some of her memories. She was able to access them._

"_It'll take some time, Rose. But yes, I can help you."_

_With that he stood up and offered her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then took it._

**Chapter 9**

Over the next two weeks Rose was awake more and more often. The Doctor had moved her back to her room hoping that the normalness of it would help her recovery. Several times a day he worked with her, mind to mind, and tried to show her brain the ways around the damaged areas, or ways to cope, or what was real and what was imaginary. Most days she had were good days. But there were days when it seemed like nothing the Doctor had done had helped. She would forget him, or spend the day wandering trying to find the kitchen. The Doctor had started to work with the TARDIS to put a lighting system in place so Rose could just follow the lights to where she needed to go. That would give her more independence around the ship. The kitchen was well labeled already with locations of implements and foods. The Doctor had written lists around her room, the bathroom, and the kitchen for Rose to be able to follow to take care of herself. How to make toast and tea, how to shower properly, what to make sure she was wearing so she didn't go out inappropriately. Not that it mattered, it was just the two of them, but the Doctor knew Rose would prefer a certain level of modesty.

Two weeks after Rose had completely come out of the coma the Doctor found her wandering around in the console room. It was the first time she had found it since her incident.

"Rose?"

She jumped and turned toward his voice. The Doctor started to walk toward her, slowly, just in case she was having a bad day.

"Rose? What are you doing out here? Are you ok?"

"Where am I? What is this place?" Definitely a bad day. She had been remembering that she was on the TARDIS more and more.

"This is the TARDIS, Rose. You live here, with me. Do you remember me?"

"Doctor?" The title came out of nowhere, and yet Rose seemed to know that it was correct. "I call you 'Doctor'. Though I can't remember your name. I'm sorry, just 'Doctor'."

The Doctor gave a small grin. His eyes smiled along with his mouth. "That's because that is all you know me as, Rose. Just 'the Doctor'. It's good you remember that. What else do you remember?" All while he was speaking he was moving closer, and when he had finished he had reached Rose. His arms went to her shoulders and held her at length, just watching her.

The Doctor watched her think, watched everything dance across her face. "Rose, just anything. What do you remember, even if it seems odd or unusual. It doesn't have to be in order. Don't try to make sense of it, just tell me, please."

With that encouragement Rose started speaking. "I remember my mum, and my dad. I remember the end of the world. I remember going through a market in a city with people with green skin. You were there! You were looking for new zeus plugs. Whatever those are. I remember a red bicycle when I was twelve for Christmas. I remember looking up at a ceiling in a white room. You were in that room, too. Blimey, you get around, yeah?"

The Doctor nodded and smiled slightly. "Good, Rose. Those are all memories, and from both recent and distant times. That means that it's all there in your head somewhere. We just need to figure out ways for you to access it. I can help you, if you'll let me. I promise. I can help you set this right."

Rose nodded. Without thinking she said, "I know you can, Doctor. I trust you."

The surprise after the words came out of her face was so tangible it was like running into a wall. Rose had been walking slowly, with the Doctor, but she stopped suddenly.

"Doctor? This is the TARDIS."

"Yes, it is, Rose. **T**ime **A**nd **R**elative **D**imension **i**n **S**pace."

"I know that, Doctor. I'm just saying, I'm on the TARDIS. I don't remember getting back here. I was ... I was in a marketplace. Eating fruit." Rose stopped and looked confused for a moment. She looked down at her body.

"I'm wearing different clothes. And I'm thinner. Doctor, what's happened?"

The Doctor's eyes swelled with fluid. It was nearly too much to hope for. But it seemed like Rose had just come back. He tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke to her.

"Rose. Oh, Rose!" That was all he could get out. He swept Rose into a bone crushing hug, lifting her off the floor and spinning her around, grinning madly over her shoulder. After nearly a solid minute he put her back down on her feet.

"Before I explain, can I please just do one thing?" He held his hands on either side of her head, asking her permission. At her confused nod he placed his hands on her head and closed his eyes. He heard Rose gasp at the sudden full psychic contact. Then as soon as it started it was over and the Doctor was staring at her with the biggest grin on his face that she'd seen yet.

"Doctor, is everything ok?"

"Everything is more than ok, Rose! Everything is perfect. Just as it should be. C'mon, come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"Off to the infirmary, I just need to do a scan, then we can be off to wherever you'd like to go."

_To be continued..._


	11. Epilogue

**Recovery**

_10/Rose_

_Hurt/Comfort_

_Summary: When Rose falls ill on an alien planet it's up to the Doctor to help her recover._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or its characters. Last night I watched David Tennant in _Recovery _(if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's on youtube. It's a great story, and DT does a fantastic job. All of them do.) So this story shares its name with that, because I'm lousy with titles, and the idea behind it follows along those lines as well, though of course with a DW twist._

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_**Previously:**_

"_Doctor, is everything ok?"_

"_Everything is more than ok, Rose! Everything is perfect. Just as it should be. C'mon, come with me."_

"_Where are we going?"_

"_Off to the infirmary, I just need to do a scan, then we can be off to wherever you'd like to go."_

**Epilogue**

Rose sat in quiet confusion while the Doctor ran the scan over her.

"What's the last thing you remember, Rose?"

"Besides the console room? Being on Ledonia and wandering around the marketplace. You had said you wanted some zeus plugs and we had agreed to meet before dark back at the TARDIS. That's it."

The Doctor nodded. "This is going to be a shock, Rose, but that was a month ago."

"A month?!"

He nodded again. "You had an allergic reaction to a salak. It's kind of a cross between a pineapple and an apple. And for you it causes severe intestinal pain. You collapsed in the marketplace and they took you to their local hospital. Lovely people, very helpful. But they'd never met a human before. Their treatments were worse than the disease, as the saying goes. Instead of easing your pain and helping you get rid of the allergen they wiped out your immune system and you immediately picked up a Ledonian bug. It settled into your brain and put you into a coma for two weeks. For the last two weeks I've been working with you, psychically, to get your brain back in normal working order. To be honest I didn't know if you were ever going to come completely out of it, or if you'd end up simply being better than yesterday, but never as good as before. When you walk around the TARDIS now you'll see evidence of it. The kitchen is labeled to help you cope, your bedroom has lists all over it to make sure you've gotten the basics done. There are a few things that are broken. You'd get angry and throw things. You'd get sullen, you'd get weepy. It was very much like being a toddler again, Rose. You had little control over your emotions, both the good and the bad ones. But for some reason today in the console room everything just snapped back into place and you remembered."

"So that's why you ... checked me. Psychically, I mean. You wanted to make sure everything was working?"

"That's right! And instead of ghosts from the past and absolute chaos I met with Rose Tyler!" His manic grin was back. Rose couldn't help but smile back.

"So, I'm good now?"

"You're good! Scans show nothing but twenty year old healthy human in front of me. You've lost a little weight, you spent two weeks being fed via an IV, but other than that you're absolutely perfect. So, where do you want to go?"

Rose thought about it for a few minutes. "I want to hear about this past month, but I'd like to get out. And if we've been here a month without leaving then I'm going to guess you _desperately_ need to get out. How about someplace with nice restaurants, not too crowded, pleasant environment, and no salaks." She grinned at that.

"It's a deal. C'mon then, back to the console room!"

He grabbed Rose's hand in his and practically dragged her all the way back. After just a few minutes they materialized, the Doctor grabbed his overcoat, and bounded over to the door.

"This, Rose, is Prakal. Imagine it as the perfect little seaside resort town in the offseason. Everything is here except the throngs of people. So, out we go!"

In his enthusiasm he ran down the hillside and nearly halfway to town before Rose started out of the TARDIS. She easily caught up with him, and they walked hand in hand toward the town. The Doctor told Rose about the past month. It took well past dinner and into a late evening walk before he was done with his tale.

Rose couldn't believe all that he had done for her. She was embarrassed about parts of it, both the physical and emotional aspects of what he's seen her through, but deep down it didn't really bother her. After all, the Doctor was the most important person in her life, and if you can't trust your entirety to the most important person in your life, than who could you?

Deciding to stay in town for the night rather than go back to the TARDIS Rose and the Doctor got a room at one of the cozier inns closer to the beach. The Doctor didn't need to sleep, but Rose was exhausted.

"Feeling perfect or not, Rose, you've still been nearly off your feet for a month. Take it easy. We'll still be here tomorrow."

Rose smiled sleepily at the Doctor. "Yes we will. And the day after that, and the tomorrow after that, and the tomorrow after that..." She drifted off in the middle of her thought.

"As many tomorrows as we can give each other, Rose."

The Doctor leaned down and gave his companion's brow a gentle kiss, then shoved her over so he could lay next to her on the bed. He stayed that way until she was done sleeping, just laying there next to her, basking in the glory of a healthy Rose.

_The end._

_**A/N: I know, a sappy ending. But it's 8:15 am and I've been up all night writing this. So if it seems awful after about the fourth chapter or so, that's just fatigue trying to write. I hope you liked it, though! Definitely watch David Tennant in **_**Recovery.****_ It's so poignant. _**


End file.
